Mirtazapine - numb to music

[Caldread]

Hi there this is my first post and been on mirtazapine for about 4 months slowly increasing my dose to 45mg along with therapy

took a while to kick in for my anxiety disorder but since i have been on 45mg it was worked great for my anxiety but i have noticed some side effects since ive been on the 45s, one i have seen is a quite common one and that is irritability/anger but its controllable and i can control it alot easier than my panic disorder so id rather that side effect than a straight up panic attack!

another side effect that has worried me a great deal is the inability to enjoy/lack of pleasure in music..... i get nothing from it anymore! its like i cant tune into it or get any pleasure what so ever from it, its worrying me because im actually a drummer, and i used to be listening to music none stop, now nothing, its almost like music stimulated some sort of adrenaline while i listened to it before and i took large amounts of pleasure out of listening to it then, maybe even more than others, so its almost like the mirtazapine is blocking that receptor out now, (for me anyway) its like my anxiety fueled some pleasure in some things, but could completely cripple me at any point! i have no idea though, i may be just more down than i was before

Has anyone else experienced this? i feel LESS numb to some things before(alot more clear headed) but seem to lack pleasure or have different tastes in things now (i like certain foods more than i did before but i also dont like certain foods i used to LOVE before) but the music one is really getting to me, i just get nothing from it anymore :(

thanks.

p.s apologies if im not making any sence, it makes sence in my brain but not sure how it comes across in words, open to any suggestions as my head is in a pickle anyway!

[Aleks1]

Hi,

I suffered a similar issue on only 30mg. I rarely watch TV when home and mainly listen to music or read. I found that music didn't have the same feel to it. I subsequently reduced the dose to 15mg and was fine on that.

Aleks

[Caldread]

hi there and thanks for the reply!

great to hear someone has experienced similar side effects (not so great you are on the meds in the first place though! )

i recon i will probably lower my dose to 30 mg to see if that helps, if not im not sure, cant quite handle the zombie effect of the 15s

[hanshan]

Hi Caldread,

Anxiety, excitement and adrenaline are all related, so reducing anxiety might also take the edge off excitement. You say you are a drummer, so I'm guessing that you like music with a definite beat or rhythm that gets you going. Mirtazapine may be blocking that.

Apart from that, I've had periods in my life when I've been really into certain kinds of music, and then don't want to listen to it - and not related to medication.

[Mikahla1994]

I'm on the 30s and am 20yrs old, I hadnt thought of it to much but music doesn't appeal to me like it used to either but in saying that a lot doesn't appeal to me anymore I don't have any interest besides being around my family, I'm taking mirtazapine for panic and it has deffinatly sedated me now I tried the 15mg for only about two weeks and was still in full panic so have been on 30 now for about 2 weeks and no more panic just flat moods no high or lows just flat and sometimes I just get sad because I'm flat but can hardly seen to get a tear out... Does anyone else find they are flat? I don't have that energy that some people talk about on 30s? Or maybe that's because they take it for different anxiety?

[hanshan]

Hi Mikhala,

If 30 mg is controlling the panic, stay on that. If you have been taking mirtazapine for four weeks with an increase midway, in the next few weeks you should start to feel the daytime flatness / sedation decrease, and your interest in things return. This is because the body adjusts to the antihistamine (sedating) effect.

Are you getting any counselling to for techniques to deal with panic? As you are 20, there is every chance you can learn to deal with this and in time go medication free. But for the moment, if the medication has helped, that's for the best. Good luck.

[Mikahla1994]

I goto a phycologist later this week for my first visit. I sort of notice everyday I have a little more energy and feel a little more instead of living on the couch like I have been... It's so comforting finding this site and seeing so many people all over the world going through the same thing and experiencing the same symtoms words can't even describe how grateful I am to have found this... And then the best part - hearing how people beat it!

There's hope for me yet !

Thank you

[wooodyp]

Hi all

I have never suffered from panic attacks, but for those who do can you explain what it is like? I have been on mirtazapine 30 mg for over 2 years but have decided I want off. Have suffered from depression (my whole family has depression). I was mainly on the medication to help sleep (I have parkinsons).

I am going to get off the mirtazapine and try cannabis. I will see what happens